By Junex Doronio
MANILA — Aside from the harassments of Chinese vessels in the West Philippine Sea (WPS), Department of National Defense (DND) Secretary Gilberto”Gibo” Teodoro Jr. on Wednesday (12 June 2024) said criminal syndicates that pose as legitimate operators of Philippine Offshore Gaming Operation (POGO) which have mushroomed during the previous Duterte administration should be stopped.
“[W]e should stop these syndicated criminal activities operating out of our base, which weaken our financial standing, our country ratings, [and] corrupt our society,” Teodoro said in a statement.
The defense chief’s statement came on the heels of the discovery of alleged Chinese military uniforms at a POGO hub in Porac town in Pampanga, where a recent raid was made by authorities.
Camouflage uniforms with buttons bearing the “P.L.A” initials were unearthed from the Lucky South 99 compound in Porac.
P.L.A. was believed to be the acronym of China’s People’s Liberation Army.
Security expert Chester Cabalza likened the POGOs to a “Trojan horse” that could be used by China to stage a “surprise attack” against vital military installations.
“Now, I do not characterize these establishments as POGOs. These are not POGOs. POGOs, traditionally, are business processing outsourcing,” Teodoro stressed.
It can be recalled that in 2019, former Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana expressed alarm about the location of casino and POGO sites near vital military installations.
Lorenzana had expressed apprehension that the Chinese workers in Pogo facilities can shift their operations to spying.
He then proposed that the government should designate a Pogo camp “far from military camps.”
(el Amigo/mnm)
